The No-Sweat Holiday Entertaining Guide

Julie Van Rosendaal, Swerve11.25.2013

DIY BAR: Poutine. Setting out ingredients for DIY poutine, grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza or loaded baked potatoes gets them to do the work and allows everyone to create exactly what they want.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

DIY BAR:Chilled bubbles are festive and cut through the carbs and cheesiness of poutine, pizza or panini.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

Board Meeting: If you don’t want to cook—much, or at all—it’s simple enough to assemble a cheese and/or charcuterie board or a mezze platter using ingredients picked up from the deli or Mediterranean market.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

A Potluck with Panache: Choose a theme, for example, throw a pie party (who doesn’t love pie?), and ask everyone to bring a pie; you’ll be amazed at the variety that shows up—savoury and sweet—and the pies don’t have to be made from scratch, either. Pick up some ice cream and/or whip some cream, and you’re set.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

A Potluck with Panache: Sautéed Apple Galette. A galette, or free-form pie, is easy to make and looks rustic; sautéing the apples first caramelizes them and gets rid of excess liquid, so you don’t have to worry about serving a soggy pie.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

A Potluck with Panache: When people ask, “What can I bring?”, suggest something! Potlucks are a perfectly acceptable way to take the pressure off when feeding a crowd, and you needn’t stress about numbers.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

Make-Ahead Cocktail Party: Forgo fancy canapés for old-school saucy meatballs, which can be ready in the freezer, then warmed on the stovetop.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

Make-Ahead Cocktail Party: When it comes to party food, there are plenty of nibbles that can be made ahead and frozen, and many that benefit from time spent hanging out in the fridge.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

Make-Ahead Cocktail Party: Stuffed phyllo triangles can be made ahead and frozen, then slid into the oven straight from the freezer right before guests arrive.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

A Laid-back Brunch: Make a big frittata to set on the table, right in the pan. A baked Italian egg pie, much like a quiche but without a crust, can be made with any combination of ingredients you like: meat, cheese, vegetables, potatoes and herbs.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

A Laid-back Brunch: Stock the table with scones or croissants from the bakery, cut up fruit—it could be as simple as sliced melon (especially good wrapped in a slice of prosciutto), a bowl of berries or a fruit salad tossed with a splash of lime juice and a drizzle of honey. Set out some chunky granola, homemade or store-bought, and a tub of yogurt.Julie Van Rosendaal
/ Swerve

Giving your guests something creative and interactive to do can be an ice breaker—and let’s face it, they’re going to hang out in the kitchen anyway. Setting out ingredients for DIY poutine, grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza or loaded baked potatoes gets them to do the work and allows everyone to create exactly what they want. (It also helps accommodate dietary restrictions, if that’s a concern.)

Eat: For a poutine bar, make your own fries (see recipe) and set out a bowl of cheese curds, a pitcher of gravy (or to be authentic, packets of St. Hubert poutine gravy mix are available at most cheese shops in the city, beside the curds), along with bowls of pulled pork, chili, crumbled bacon, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, chopped green onions, poached eggs—whatever you can dream up. (Paper french-fry containers are available at the Real Canadian Wholesale Club.)

Drink: Chilled bubbles are festive and cut through the carbs and cheesiness of poutine, pizza or panini; fill a bucket with ice, beer, cider, sparkling wine and something non-alcoholic, like citrusy San Pellegrino or raspberry ginger ale.

Homemade Fries for Poutine

• thin-skinned potatoes, such as Yukon Gold

• canola oil

• coarse salt

1. Cut unpeeled potatoes (about 2 per person) into equal sticks, put them into a large pot (leave room at the top) and cover with canola oil.

2. Bring the pot to a boil, cook for about 20 minutes, until golden (wait for at least 10 minutes before gently stirring them with tongs), then drain on paper towels and shower with sea salt.

3. Alternatively, roast the potato sticks, tossed in oil, in a 450˚F oven until they’re golden.

Board Meeting

If you don’t want to cook—much, or at all—it’s simple enough to assemble a cheese and/or charcuterie board or a mezze platter using ingredients picked up from the deli or Mediterranean market. For dramatic effect, find a long wooden board (or pick up a single shelf from the “as-is” section at IKEA), top it with a piece of parchment or butcher paper (if you need to) and haphazardly arrange ingredients on it. Rustic is hip.

Eat: To go the charcuterie-and-cheese route, arrange cured meats, sausages, pâté and cheeses (select at least one firm, one soft or semi-soft and one blue and/or goat cheese) down the length of the board; fill in the gaps with baguette slices, breadsticks, crackers, little pots of fig jam or chutney, dried fruit and nuts. Or, build a mezze platter (a selection of small Mediterranean dishes) with hummus, baba ghanoush or muhammara (see recipe), stuffed grape leaves, olives, feta, marinated calamari, prosciutto and pitas. Set out bowls of pistachios and small plates and napkins—no need for knives and forks.

Drink: A hearty red wine and an interesting variety of beer.

Muhammara

This traditional Middle Eastern roasted red pepper and walnut dip gets better after a day or two in the fridge, so you can make it ahead of time. Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern groceries and lasts indefinitely, so don’t worry about buying an entire bottle.

• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

• 3 roasted red peppers

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (fresh or dry)

• pinch red pepper flakes

• 2-4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

• pinch salt

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the walnuts, roasted peppers, breadcrumbs, pepper flakes, garlic, pomegranate molasses and cumin until well blended.

2. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt. To serve, spread the muhammara in a shallow bowl, top with a walnut half and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with fresh pitas or pita chips.

3. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

A Potluck with Panache

When people ask, “What can I bring?”, suggest something! Potlucks are a perfectly acceptable way to take the pressure off when feeding a crowd, and you needn’t stress about numbers. When planning a potluck, there’s no need for each guest to bring enough to feed everyone; if 50 people brought enough to feed 50 people, your leftovers would last until the new year. Mathematically, if each person brought an amount roughly equal to what they would eat, you’d have just enough, so don’t worry about quantities. In the age of Food Network, people tend to take parties as an opportunity to show off their culinary skills, so you’re all but guaranteed a good spread.

Eat: Depending on the type of party you want to have, you could assign dishes (i.e. appies, main, side, dessert), make it a free-for-all (the essence of a potluck), or choose a theme that could centre around a movie, an ethnicity or a type of food. For example, throw a pie party (who doesn’t love pie?), and ask everyone to bring a pie; you’ll be amazed at the variety that shows up—savoury and sweet—and the pies don’t have to be made from scratch, either. Pick up some ice cream and/or whip some cream, and you’re set.

Drink: Mix up a big pitcher or punchbowl of sangria—it goes with everything. In keeping with the potluck theme, you could ask everyone to bring a piece of fruit for the punchbowl, too.

Sautéed Apple Galette

A galette, or free-form pie, is easy to make and looks rustic; sautéing the apples first caramelizes them and gets rid of excess liquid, so you don’t have to worry about serving a soggy pie.

1. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the apples and cook until they start releasing their juices. Sprinkle the sugar and salt overtop. Cook for about 10 minutes more, stirring often, until the moisture evaporates, the syrup thickens and the apples start to turn golden. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

2. To make the crumble topping, blend all the ingredients in a bowl or food processor until well combined and crumbly. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a 10-inch circle and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pile the cooled apples onto the pastry, mounding them in the middle and spreading them out to within 2 inches of the edge. Fold the pastry over, letting it fold where it wants to. If you like, brush the pastry with a little milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Scatter the crumble mixture over the fruit and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. Serves 8-10.

Make-Ahead Cocktail Party

When it comes to party food, there are plenty of nibbles that can be made ahead and frozen, and many that benefit from time spent hanging out in the fridge. Most dips get better after a day or two; accompaniments like crackers, pitas and breadsticks need no prep; and crudités (read: cut-up veggies) can also be prepped in advance and left to chill out in cold water in the fridge.

Eat: Forgo fancy canapés for old-school saucy meatballs (which can be ready in the freezer, then warmed on the stovetop), dips and maybe even a cheese ball. Stuffed phyllo triangles can be made ahead and frozen, then slid into the oven straight from the freezer right before guests arrive. Never underestimate the sensory appeal of something delicious baking to welcome friends as they come in the door. Set out dishes of spiced nuts (see recipe), marinated olives, caramel corn, M&Ms—bowls of nibbles make people happy.

Drink: Stir up a batch of fizzy cocktails with equal parts cranberry juice, lemon or limeade, and tonic, ginger ale or soda water; set aside half for designated drivers, and add gin or vodka to the rest of the batch.

Sweet Rosemary Balsamic Pecans

These addictive nuts may become your go-to formula for the holidays. They’re perfect for parties, gift-giving and sprinkling over a salad.

• 2 cups pecan halves

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 drops hot sauce

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. Stir everything together, tossing to coat the pecans well, and spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden. Makes 2 cups.

A Laid-back Brunch

Gathering people together for breakfast or brunch can be easier to co-ordinate during the busy holiday party season; a morning meal can also be simpler to prepare, and easier on the pocketbook.

Eat: Make a big frittata (see recipe) to set on the table, right in the pan; cook some bacon and/or sausage and pick up some good bread, scones or croissants from the bakery. Cut up some fruit—it could be as simple as sliced melon (especially good wrapped in a slice of prosciutto), a bowl of berries or a fruit salad tossed with a splash of lime juice and a drizzle of honey. Set out some chunky granola, homemade or store-bought, and a tub of yogurt.

Drink: Something bubbly, like Prosecco, Moscato or sparkling rosé, cut with orange, blood-orange or pink-grapefruit juice. If you like, toss in a few pomegranate arils or fresh cranberries to fancy it up. Put a pot of coffee on, and pick up a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream.

Frittata

A baked Italian egg pie, much like a quiche but without a crust, can be made with any combination of ingredients you like: meat, cheese, vegetables, potatoes and herbs. The basic proportions are about two cups of stuff for every five to six eggs. Make sure you cook meat and veggies first. If you like, add a spoonful of pesto to the eggs before you pour them into the pan.

• canola or olive oil, for cooking

• 2 large sausages, squeezed from their casings, or 1/2 cup chopped ham

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat a drizzle of oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until meat is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes and potatoes, and cook until the tomatoes burst and any excess liquid cooks off. Add the garlic and spinach and cook until it wilts.

2. Meanwhile, stir together the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in an even layer in the pan and pour the beaten eggs over top; reduce heat to medium-low and cook the frittata for 5-8 minutes, until the bottom is set. If you like, sprinkle more cheese on top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the top is set and golden. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold. Serves 8 or more.

Renting: Not Just for Tuxedos Anymore

Rentals are often overlooked as an option for house parties, but picking up a stack of dishes, extra wine glasses or even cutlery is inexpensive, with the bonus of saving you time doing dishes: you stack them back in their crates and return them dirty. You could also rent a popcorn or candy-floss machine to really get the party started. Try Good Time Party Rentals (goodtimepartyrentals.com) or Great Events (greateventsgroup.ca).

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